Being productive is tough. Getting work done can be a hassle, and at times, almost near impossible! A lot of people struggle, kicking and screaming, trying to focus on their work and get it done, without losing focus on the slightest hint of distraction. This lack of attention can get frustrating especially when it starts to impact your work and your productivity. If we’re being honest we’ve all been there. Sitting at a desk, in our zone, and suddenly zoning out into some other realm of reality. The trigger can be anything. Whether it’s a car passing by outside your window, or your phone ringing from a text message marketing ad telling you the latest sale or promotion, which then takes you down a rabbit hole of online shopping and browsing. The distractions are out there, and in order to overcome them, you have to have the willpower and the right tools for doing so. Here are 5 life hacks for getting rid of distractions and getting your work done.
#5- Turn Off Your Mobile Phone
The number one cause of distractions is your mobile phone. Turning off your mobile phone is the best way to ensure you won’t be interrupted by any text messages or phone calls, thus keeping you in your productive zone for as long as possible. However, phones, and phone calls, are important. For some people, they can’t just turn them off and not answer the phone. Especially if that phone call is work-related. So maybe don’t turn off your cell phone, but instead, put it on vibrate, or only allow notifications from certain numbers. Also, try keeping your phone in another room and only check it from time to time. This is a great way to keep productive without the distractions and give you breaks.
#4-Find a Quiet Place to Work
Sometimes your home or your office can be too distracting to work in. especially if those places are crowded with families or coworkers. That’s why it’s best to find a quiet place to work in without too many distractions and interruptions. Good quiet places could be a local library, a park, or a quiet work-place. Quiet places are good to work for some people, but for others, they may enjoy some background noise. So that’s why it’s best they try to find a crowded café or bustling bar and get to work there. Sometimes some noise is good, but too much noise can get to be a distraction!
#3- Take a Break
You can try your best to avoid distractions, do all the things required to do, and still all those things might not work! You just can’t focus on the task at hand and get any work done. But that’s fine, allow yourself and your mind to take a break and step away from the work for a while to loosen up and unwind. Get those distractions of your chest. Indulge in watching some TV, or spending time on your phone, or going out for a walk. Get it all out of your system so that you can go back to work with a clear head and satisfied spirit. That way you’ll be able to not only get some work done but work knowing that there is nothing that can distract you anymore.
#4- Take Your Work With You on the Go
The idea of sitting on a desk and working on a project or task for a long period of time can be a daunting task and simply off-putting. This is why a good cure for that is to take your work with you wherever you go and try to get some of it done whenever you get the chance and are in the mood. For example, if you’re headed to the gym and then afterward plan to go for some lunch, then take your laptop with you, and try to squeeze in 30-45 minutes for some quality work between those two events. If you can manage to squeeze in enough time between activities, then before you know, by the end of the day you would have gotten a quality amount of work done.
#5– Don’t Put Off Any Work That You Can Do Now
Don’t put off any sort of work that you can manage to get done right now. Procrastinating is a slippery slope. You might think you’re pushing something back for an hour, but then the next thing you know, a whole day goes by and you didn’t manage to get any work done! That’s why try to do as much work as you can when you have the chance. Don’t assume that you will be free later. If you have time to spare then finish your work, and give users that free time you have later for leisure and fun!
